Combination urinal/toilet flusher and grabber assembly

ABSTRACT

A combination urinal/toilet flusher and grabber assembly includes a first resilient U-shaped main body having spaced apart side walls connected by a top wall such that an object can be grasped by compression of outer surfaces of the side walls toward each other. A first hollow member extends from one end of the main body for receiving a urinal/toilet flusher handle. A first tongue extends from an opposite end of the main body and has an opening for receiving a flusher handle. An inner member includes a second resilient main body having spaced apart wings connected together by a top wall, and a second hollow member extending from one end thereof and removably fit within the first hollow member for receiving a flusher handle such that the wings can grasp an object when the side walls are compressed toward each other.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a device for enabling aperson to avoid contact with restroom surfaces, and more particularly,is directed to a combination urinal/toilet flusher and grabber assembly.

It is known that public restrooms are replete with germs. Thus, forexample, when a man uses a urinal, the flush handle has many germs fromprior users. These germs are transferred to the person who touches theflush handle. The same applies to the flush handles of toilets in publicrestrooms. In addition, many people who use a public restroom do notwash their hands prior to leaving, so that the doorknobs and otherobjects, such as the paper dispensers, soap dispensers and the like, arealso full of germs.

Although it is known to use a tubular member to flush a toilet, it isdesirable to provide some device that also provides a disposable insertinside the tubular flushing member, provides separate elements forflushing toilet and urinal handles, and also provides a member which canbe used for grasping doorknobs and other objects, such as the paperdispensers, soap dispensers and the like in a restroom.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide acombination urinal/toilet flusher and grabber assembly that overcomesthe problems with the aforementioned prior art.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a combinationurinal/toilet flusher and grabber assembly for enabling a person todepress the flush handles of urinals and toilets and to contact varioussurfaces in a public restroom without the transfer of germs to thatperson.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide acombination urinal/toilet flusher and grabber assembly that ismulti-functional and relatively compact.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide acombination urinal/toilet flusher and grabber assembly that is easy touse and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a combinationurinal/toilet flusher and grabber assembly, including an outer memberhaving a first resilient main body having spaced apart side wallsconnected by a top wall such that an object can be grasped bycompression of outer surfaces of the side walls toward each other, and afirst hollow member extending from one end of the main body forreceiving a urinal/toilet flusher handle.

The hollow member preferably has a generally hollow cylindrical shape.

In one embodiment, the side walls include finger receiving portions onan outer surface thereof for providing the compression. In thisembodiment, there are also grabber members secured to lower ends of theside walls for grabbing a generally cylindrical object. Each grabbermember has a generally semi-cylindrical configuration having a concaveinner surface, and the concave inner surfaces of the semi-cylindricalgrabber members face each other. At least one grabber member includes afinger receiving member on an outer surface thereof for further aidingin the compression.

There is also preferably an inner member removably held within the outermember. The inner member includes a second resilient main body havingspaced apart wings connected together by a top wall, and a second hollowmember extending from one end of the second main body for receiving aurinal/toilet flusher handle, the second hollow member being dimensionedto removably fit within the first hollow member such that the wings arepositioned between the side walls so that an object can be grasped bythe wings by compression of outer surfaces of the side walls toward eachother. Preferably, at least a portion of an inner surface of each wingincludes a roughened section for gripping of the object.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, acombination urinal/toilet flusher and grabber assembly includes an outermember having a first resilient main body having spaced apart side wallsconnected by a top wall such that an object can be grasped bycompression of outer surfaces of the side walls toward each other, and afirst tongue extending from one end of the main body, the tongueincluding an opening for receiving a urinal/toilet flusher handle.

In this embodiment as well, there are finger receiving portions on outersurfaces of the side wall, semi-cylindrical grabber members secured tolower ends of the side walls, and a finger receiving member on at leastone grabber member.

In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, acombination urinal/toilet flusher and grabber assembly includes a firstresilient main body having spaced apart side walls connected by a topwall such that an object can be grasped by compression of outer surfacesof the side walls toward each other, a first hollow member extendingfrom one end of the main body for receiving a urinal/toilet flusherhandle, and a first tongue extending from an opposite end of the mainbody, the tongue including an opening for receiving a urinal/toiletflusher handle.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the inventionwill become readily apparent from the following detailed descriptionthereof which is to be read in connection with the accompanyingdrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a combination urinal/toilet flusher andgrabber assembly according to a first embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the combination urinal/toiletflusher and grabber assembly;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the combination urinal/toilet flusherand grabber assembly;

FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view of the combination urinal/toiletflusher and grabber assembly;

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the combination urinal/toiletflusher and grabber assembly;

FIG. 6 is a partially exploded bottom plan view of the combinationurinal/toilet flusher and grabber assembly;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of a combination urinal/toilet flusher andgrabber assembly according to a second embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 8 is a right side elevational view of the combination urinal/toiletflusher and grabber assembly of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a left side elevational plan view of the combinationurinal/toilet flusher and grabber assembly of FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a front elevational view of the combination urinal/toiletflusher and grabber assembly of FIG. 7;

FIG. 11 is a rear elevational view of the combination urinal/toiletflusher and grabber assembly of FIG. 7;

FIG. 12 is a bottom plan view of the combination urinal/toilet flusherand grabber assembly of FIG. 7; and

FIG. 13 is a partially exploded bottom plan view of the combinationurinal/toilet flusher and grabber assembly of FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to the drawings in detail, and initially to FIGS. 1-6, acombination urinal/toilet flusher and grabber assembly 10 according to afirst embodiment of the present invention includes an outer member 12which is to be held by a user. Outer member 12 includes a main U-shapedbody 14 having downwardly and outwardly diverging sidewalls 16 and 18connected together by a top wall 17. A channel 14 a is defined betweensidewalls 16 and 18. The lower portions 16 a and 18 a of sidewalls 16and 18, respectively, extend vertically down, generally parallel to eachother, and each has a generally half elliptical shape with a lowercurved edge 16 b and 18 b, respectively. Shrouds 20 having the sameshape as lower curved edges 16 b and 18 b each have one edge connectedto lower curved edges 16 b and 18 b, respectively, and extend outwardlytherefrom.

A forwardly extending tongue 22 extends contiguously from the front ofmain body 14 and has a length similar to that of main body 14. Tongue 22has a generally rounded front edge 22 a and includes a central opening24 near the front end thereof. In addition, an upwardly extendingsubstantially V-shaped member 26 having a transverse opening 28 issecured to the upper surface of tongue 22. A portion of tongue 22 can becut-away at opening 30 to help form V-shaped member 26.

A rearwardly extending cylindrical member 32 extends contiguously fromthe rear edge of main body 14 at a position rearwardly of sidewalls 16and 18, and defines a central bore 34 therethrough which is in opencommunication with channel 14 a.

A disposable inner member 36 includes a main body 38 having downwardlyand outwardly extending wing members 40 connected together by a top wall41. The inner surfaces of wing members 40 can have a material 42 with aroughened surface secured thereto for gripping various items such as adoorknob, paper towel dispenser handle, etc. A tongue 44 extendscontiguously from the front end of main body 38 and includes an opening46 near the front end thereof. A hollow cylindrical member 48 extendscontiguously from the rear end of main body 38 and includes a centralbore 50 therethrough. The outer diameter of hollow cylindrical memberare slightly smaller than the inner diameter of cylindrical member 32 inorder to permit hollow cylindrical member 48 to snugly fit withincylindrical member 32. Because inner member 36 is disposable, it can beformed from any inexpensive disposable material, such as cardboard,paperboard, plastic, etc.

In operation, disposable inner member 34 is fitted into outer member 12by positioning hollow cylindrical member 48 within cylindrical member32. In this position, wing members 40 are held against sidewalls 16 and18, and openings 24 and 46 are in alignment with each other.

In such case, a person holds onto the outer surfaces of upper portions16 a and 18 a of sidewalls 16 and 18 and can pinch sidewalls 16 and 18toward each other. This causes wing members 40 to move toward each otherso that roughened surfaces 42 will grasp an item, such as a doorknob,handle of a paper towel dispenser, soap dispenser, etc., for actuatingthe same without the person having to touch these items. Because of theresilience of the materials, when the finger biasing force is released,side walls 16 and 18 will return to their unbiased position.

If the person desires to flush a urinal, the person fits the flushhandle of the urinal into central bore 50 of hollow cylindrical member48 and pushes down on assembly 10. Thereafter, assembly 10 is removedfrom the flush handle.

In order to flush a toilet, the user places the flush handle of thetoilet within openings 24 and 46 and pulls down on assembly 10, therebypulling down the flush handle. Assembly 10 is then removed from theflush handle.

When disposable inner member 36 becomes dirty or soiled, or a usermerely desires to change the same after a single use or multiple uses,it is only necessary to remove disposable inner member 36 inner fromouter member 12 and insert a new disposable inner member 36 within outermember 12, and then disposing of the old soiled disposable inner member36.

Assembly 10 can easily be held to a belt or the like of a person bymeans of V-shaped member 26, by fitting the belt through transverseopening 28.

Referring now to FIGS. 7-13, a combination urinal/toilet flusher andgrabber assembly 110 according to a second embodiment of the presentinvention will now be discussed, in which elements corresponding tourinal/toilet flusher and grabber assembly 10 of the first embodimentare identified by the same numerals but augmented by 100.

Combination urinal/toilet flusher and grabber assembly 110 includes anouter member 112 which is to be held by a user. Outer member 112includes a main U-shaped body 114 having downwardly and outwardlydiverging sidewalls 116 and 118 connected together by a top wall 117. Achannel 114 a is defined between sidewalls 116 and 118. Thin-walledsemi-cylindrical grabbing members 119 are each connected at one straightedge thereof to lower edges 116 b and 118 b, respectively, of sidewalls116 and 118, and extend' outwardly therefrom, such that the innerconcave surfaces 119 a thereof face each other.

Further, walls defining spaced apart finger recesses 121 are provided onthe outer surface of each side wall 116 and 118. Also, a hollow fingerreceiving extension 123 is provided on the outer surface of onethin-walled semi-cylindrical grabbing member 119, while a hollow fingerreceiving housing 125 is provided on the outer surface of the otherthin-walled semi-cylindrical grabbing member 119. In this manner, aperson can selectively insert fingers in finger recesses 121, hollowfinger receiving extension 123 and/or hollow finger receiving housing125 in order to move side walls 116 and 118 toward each other, andthin-walled semi-cylindrical grabbing members 119 toward each other.Because of the resilience of the materials, when the finger biasingforce is released, side walls 116 and 118 and thin-walledsemi-cylindrical grabbing members 119 will return to their unbiasedposition.

In addition, an upwardly extending substantially U-shaped member 126having a transverse opening 128 is secured to the upper surface of mainbody 114. A portion of main body 114 and/or tongue 122 can be cut-awayat opening 130 to help form U-shaped member 126.

A forwardly extending tongue 122 extends contiguously from the front ofmain body 114 and has a length similar to that of main body 114. Tongue122 has a generally rounded front edge 122 a and includes a centralopening 124 near the front end thereof.

A rearwardly extending tubular member 132 extends contiguously from therear edge of main body 114 at a position rearwardly of sidewalls 116 and118, and defines a central bore 134 therethrough which is in opencommunication with channel 114 a.

A disposable inner member 136 includes a main body 138 having downwardlyand outwardly extending wing members 140 connected together by a topwall 141. The inner surfaces of wing members 140 can have a material 142with a roughened surface secured thereto for gripping various items suchas a doorknob, paper towel dispenser handle, etc. A tongue 144 extendscontiguously from the front end of main body 138 and includes an opening146 near the front end thereof. A hollow tubular member 148 extendscontiguously from the rear end of main body 138 and includes a centralbore 150 therethrough. The outer diameter of hollow cylindrical memberare slightly smaller than the inner diameter of tubular member 132 inorder to permit hollow tubular member 148 to snugly fit within tubularmember 132. Because inner member 136 is disposable, it can be formedfrom any inexpensive disposable material, such as cardboard, paperboard,plastic, etc.

In operation, disposable inner member 134 is fitted into outer member112 by positioning hollow tubular member 148 within tubular member 132.In this position, wing members 140 are held against sidewalls 116 and118, and openings 124 and 146 are in alignment with each other.

In such case, a person selectively inserts fingers in finger recesses121, hollow finger receiving extension 123 and/or hollow fingerreceiving housing 125 in order to move side walls 116 and 118 towardeach other. This causes wing members 140 to move toward each other sothat roughened surfaces 142 will grasp an item, such as a doorknob,handle of a paper towel dispenser, soap dispenser, etc., for actuatingthe same without the person having to touch these items.

In addition, a person can selectively insert fingers in finger recesses121, hollow finger receiving extension 123 and/or hollow fingerreceiving housing 125 in order to move thin-walled semi-cylindricalgrabbing members 119 toward each other. In this manner, a person cangrab a can, bottle, etc. For example, if there is a bottle on the floorthat the person desires to throw in the garbage without touching thesame, the person can pick up the bottle with grabbing members 119. Inlike manner, if a person wants to carry a drink bottle or the like whenassembly 110 is on the person's belt, the drink bottle is held bygrabbing members 119, and a further securement assembly 127 is providedthereon. For example, as shown, the securement assembly 127 can includea strap 129 on one grabbing member 119 which is secured to the othergrabbing member 119 by any suitable engagement means 131, such as snaps,buttons, a hook and loop engagement arrangement sold under the trademark“VELCRO” or the like.

If the person desires to flush a urinal, the person fits the flushhandle of the urinal into central bore 150 of hollow tubular member 148and pushes down on assembly 110. Thereafter, assembly 110 is removedfrom the flush handle.

In order to flush a toilet, the user places the flush handle of thetoilet within openings 124 and 146 and pulls down on assembly 110,thereby pulling down the flush handle. Assembly 110 is then removed fromthe flush handle.

When disposable inner member 136 becomes dirty or soiled, or a usermerely desires to change the same after a single use or multiple uses,it is only necessary to remove disposable inner member 136 inner fromouter member 112 and insert a new disposable inner member 136 withinouter member 112, and then disposing of the old soiled disposable innermember 136.

Assembly 110 can easily be held to a belt or the like of a person bymeans of U-shaped member 126, by fitting the belt through transverseopening 128.

Having described specific preferred embodiments of the invention withreference to the accompanying drawings, it will be appreciated that thepresent invention is not limited to those precise embodiments and thatvarious changes and modifications can be effected therein by one ofordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope or spirit ofthe invention defined by the appended claims.

1. A combination urinal/toilet flusher and grabber assembly, comprisingan outer member including: a first elongated, resilient, substantiallyU-shaped main body having spaced apart side walls connected by a topwall, with said main body including a first opening that extends along asubstantial length of the main body at a bottom thereof between freeends of said spaced apart side walls, such that an object is adapted tobe grasped by compression of outer surfaces of said side walls towardeach other, and a first hollow member extending from one end of saidelongated main body and having a second opening which is separate anddistinct from said first opening for receiving a urinal/toilet flusherhandle; an inner member removably held within said outer member, saidinner member including: a second resilient main body having spaced apartwings connected together by a top wall, and a second hollow memberextending from one end of said second main body for receiving aurinal/toilet flusher handle, said second hollow member beingdimensioned to removably fit within said first hollow member such thatsaid wings are positioned between said side walls and such that anobject can be grasped by said wings by compression of outer surfaces ofsaid side walls toward each other.
 2. A combination urinal/toiletflusher and grabber assembly according to claim 1, wherein said hollowmember has a generally hollow cylindrical shape.
 3. A combinationurinal/toilet flusher and grabber assembly according to claim 1, whereinsaid side walls include finger receiving portions on an outer surfacethereof for providing said compression.
 4. A combination urinal/toiletflusher and grabber assembly according to claim 1, further comprisinggrabber members secured to lower ends of said side walls for grabbing agenerally cylindrical object.
 5. A combination urinal/toilet flusher andgrabber assembly according to claim 4, wherein each said grabber memberhas a generally semi-cylindrical configuration having a concave innersurface, and the concave inner surfaces of said semi-cylindrical grabbermembers face each other.
 6. A combination urinal/toilet flusher andgrabber assembly according to claim 4, wherein at least one of saidgrabber members includes a finger receiving member on an outer surfacethereof for providing said compression.
 7. A combination urinal/toiletflusher and grabber assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least aportion of an inner surface of each wing includes a roughened sectionfor gripping of the object.
 8. A combination urinal/toilet flusher andgrabber assembly, comprising an outer member including: a firstelongated, resilient, substantially U-shaped main body having spacedapart side walls connected by a top wall, with said main body includinga first opening that extends along a substantial length of the main bodyat a bottom thereof between free ends of said spaced apart side walls,such that an object is adapted to be grasped by compression of outersurfaces of said side walls toward each other, a first hollow memberextending from one end of said elongated main body and having a secondopening which is separate and distinct from said first opening forreceiving a urinal/toilet flusher handle, and a first tongue extendingfrom an opposite end of said elongated main body, said tongue includinga third opening which is separate and distinct from said first andsecond openings for receiving a urinal/toilet flusher handle.
 9. Acombination urinal/toilet flusher and grabber assembly according toclaim 8, wherein said hollow member has a generally hollow cylindricalshape.
 10. A combination urinal/toilet flusher and grabber assemblyaccording to claim 8, wherein said side walls include finger receivingportions on an outer surface thereof for providing said compression. 11.A combination urinal/toilet flusher and grabber assembly according toclaim 8, further comprising grabber members secured to lower ends ofsaid side walls for grabbing a generally cylindrical object.
 12. Acombination urinal/toilet flusher and grabber assembly according toclaim 11, wherein each said grabber member has a generallysemi-cylindrical configuration having a concave inner surface, and theconcave inner surfaces of said semi-cylindrical grabber members faceeach other.
 13. A combination urinal/toilet flusher and grabber assemblyaccording to claim 11, wherein at least one said grabber member includesa finger receiving member on an outer surface thereof for providing saidcompression.
 14. A combination urinal/toilet flusher and grabberassembly according to claim 8, further comprising an inner memberremovably held within said outer member.
 15. A combination urinal/toiletflusher and grabber assembly according to claim 14, wherein said innermember includes: a second resilient main body having spaced apart wingsconnected together by a top wall, a second hollow member extending fromone end of said second main body for receiving a urinal/toilet flusherhandle, said second hollow member being dimensioned to removably fitwithin said first hollow member such that said wings are positionedbetween said side walls such that an object can be grasped by said wingsby compression of outer surfaces of said side walls toward each other,and a second tongue extending from an opposite end of said second mainbody, said tongue including an opening for receiving a urinal/toiletflusher handle.
 16. A combination urinal/toilet flusher and grabberassembly according to claim 15, wherein at least a portion of an innersurface of each wing includes a roughened section for gripping of theobject.